About this Guide

This guide was created by Umphreaks, for Umphreaks, and will continuously be updated over time. Please send us any and all suggestions using the form at the bottom of the page. All suggestions have come from members of our scene.

This guide was prepared for the four night Umphery's 2018/2019 New Years Eve run. We have other Umphreak's Anonymous Travel Guides, we hope they help you have a wonderful time! Have an amazing awesome rageface New Years!

Home of Umphrey’s McGee’s first show in The Big Peach, The Variety Playhouse will be boasting the best Synthwave Aftershow you could imagine with Ryan Stasik’s side project Doom Flamingo raging in the late night set on December 28th! Nearish a MARTA station, not terribly far from the Tabernacle but not walkable. MARTA may be closed by the end of show.

The Cotton Club will throw one of the multiple aftershows over this marathon extravaganza. Tauking McGeewill be playing here on December 29th. Tickets have long been sold out for this show, but it never hurts to check out CashOrTrade.org . Attached to the Tabernacle, so easy access.

If you find yourself looking for something latenight and are without tickets to Doom Flamingo, you may want to make your way up to CBDB and Wild Adriatic at Terminal West. The show starts at nine but will be running late into the evening. A bit northwest of downtown, would likely require a Lyft.

BARS AND BREWERIES

Just check out the friggin name! Known for its Two Sided brews, you can find complimenting and juxtaposing flavor palettes in beverages like their Thai Wheat (Lemongrass & Ginger Wheat) or Bleeding Heart (Amber with Cocoa and Vanilla).

Winner of a 2014 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal for their brew Han Brolo Pale Ale, Monday Night Brewing has become infamous across the country. Specializing mostly in IPAs, they do seem to offer a wit and a sour for other pallets.

Do you like the bizarre? Us too! This bar in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood plays makes a mockery of church in the best ways. Karaoke is performed on a church organ. There is beer pong. The beers are not too expensive. It’s a strange place and, if you’re not too devout, a wild required experience.

We always keep an eye out for the local arcarde whenever we visit someplace. Sometimes pumpin’ quarters and drinking beer for an hour while your buddies sleep off their hangover is just what the doctor ordered. This spot features old school, coin fed arcades, no muss no fuss.

This speakeasy inspired bar draws directly from the 1920s for its decor. Patrons must enter through the British inspired Red Phone Booth into a room with a fireplace, a honey onyx bartop and some classic turn of the century cocktails. They also sell cigars and have a cigar humidor.

Born out of a love for beer, Atlanta, and the fine breweries our city has to offer, the Atlanta Beer Bus is a hop-on/hop-off, party shuttle servicing Atlanta’s most delicious breweries for only $15 per person all day! You can choose one of their expertly curated routes for Atlanta beer enthusiasts to help take the guesswork out of touring local breweries. Visit and sample beer at the finest local brewing establishments in Atlanta without worrying about a designated driver or deciding which breweries to hit. Weekdays/Saturday does Atlanta proper, Sundays are Decatur.

Cute small time place with excellent beer. Can get sampler flights. Weird hours, so be sure to check/call ahead before you head out that way. Stouts, sours and IPAs are all highlighted at this newly birthed neighborhood brewery.

The Vortex is a burger bar and tavern that has a semi-grunge-goth vibe. The Little Five Points location has a cool skeleton face doorway. The burgers are well loved and they also have a large beer selection. Joel Cummins recommended!

Super close to the venue. The food is quite good for tavern food, the staff has been recommended as friendly/fun staff. There is a good beer selection as well. Stumble distance to the venue, this is a fantastic spot to pregame before waltzing into the show. Site of the Umphreak's Meetup on December 28th, 5:30 - 7pm.

I love looking for the Sky bars in any metropolitan city. Nothing quite like looking out over all the city lights while sampling some craft cocktails or delicious locally brewed beer. Thankfully, that's exactly what you'll find that this chic, semi-upscale open-air-ish Skybar. Great views of the skyline, the Ferris Wheel and the rest of the city. Drinks are on the pricier side. This is a touristy type thing to do, we're not guessing many locals head this way. But if you do, you'll be rewarded with good views.

STRIPCLUBS

As Stupac says, “It’s an institution!” The Clermont Lounge is much more than a Strip Club, though it is that as well. Atlanta’s first and longest continually operating Strip Club, this unusual establishment has drawn the attention of the curious and infamous for decades.

Magic City has formed its own notoriety through numerous popular hip hop tracks. The reviews are mixed, and this club seems somewhat expensive in comparison to the other options, but it would have more of your traditional strip club vibe.

CULTURE

KROG STREET TUNNELS
DEKALB & KROG STREET

A tunnel absolutely full of beautiful street art from floor to ceiling.

HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
1280 PEACHTREE ST NE, ATLANTA, GA 30309-3549

Not only is the building itself stunning, but so is the over 11,000 permanent pieces of art inside. European, American and African art, plus a large photography gallery, are the focal points of High Museum’s collection. Their current featured exhibits include “HAND TO HAND: SOUTHERN CRAFT OF THE 19TH CENTURY”, William Christenberry, and the almost complete sold out “Infinite Mirrors” by Yayoi Kusama (which looks AMAZING!!!!).

This is a National Park encapsulates several sites that make up a part of Dr. King's legacy - the home in which the leader of the Civil Rights movement was born, the church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached throughout his life, and the memorial site that is his resting place.

OUTDOORS

Crazy, creepy outsider art on a short trail in Southeast Atlanta. Decapitated dolls lodged into strange appliances, candles on weird alter looking things, a super mini mini mini mini piano. According to Atlas Obscura “ The Doll’s Head Trail was the work of a local carpenter named Joel Slaton, who envisioned an art project created from discarded doll parts and other trash that was scattered around the site. He encouraged visitors to contribute their own found art, and it’s been collecting there ever since. The pieces are dominated by doll heads, but also include bottle creations, collages, decorated chinks of old bricks, and beheaded doll & truck part tableaus.”

CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK

Landmark park in the heart of the city, the Centennial Olympic Park was built for the 1996 Olympics. There is a large lawn, a water fountain and a memorial for the victims of the Olympic Bombing. The park is very close to the Tabernacle.

ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDENS

CASCADE SPRINGS NATURE PRESERVE

A bit outside of the city, and probably not doable on a chilly day, the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve is a beautiful little park with a waterfall and easy trails.

WOODRUFF PARK

Get your picture taken with the “ATLANTA” sign. You know, one of those letter signs that seems to exist randomly in every major city across the globe incase you forgot where you were. But yeah, makes for a cool instagram picture.

This place came suggested with three special words: live music brunch. Apparently, over the timespan we are there, there is a Bottomless Mimosa Brunch w/ Time Warp Orchestra December 30, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm. The place looks like a high class bar and music venue that serves food.

Known for their high quality breakfasts that do not dent the pocket book, Ria’s has been in operation since 2000 and it still has lines out of the door. Most meals stick to the $10 or less range and are all high quality. Joel Cummins recommended! Also, there are a few options for your vegetarian and vegan friends.

They make their own butter, their own buttermilk, and all of the ingredients are local. The eggs benedict, blueberry cobbler pancakes and chicken biscuit come highly recommended. Upscale food but you can come casual.

Chicken Sausage stand with awesome names. Considered some of the best chicken sausage in the city, this tiny jewelbox of a joint is always hoppin'. Non-processed, everything made from scratch, chicken hand boned on site. The whole thing is considered quite the delight for any fan. Their most popular options include the Italian Stallion and the Hot Mess (messy!). They even have vegan chili and vegan cheese wedgies, if you're a wayward plant based diner and have found yourself here.

TAKE OUT

The original, world famous, enormous restaurant in downtown Atlanta. Once considered by some to be "the world's largest drive in", The Varsity sits on 2 city blocks and can accommodate 800 diners inside. Opened in 1928. Old school drive thru simple AF menu with burgers and hot dogs. Certified "excellent hangover food".

While not exactly in Atlanta proper, this establishment is one of the wayward Windy City Outposts that spreads the gospel of ketchup-free hot dogs, cheese fries and Vienna fuckin' Beef. Cheesesteaks, pizza puffs, plenty of Cubs and Sox stuff on the walls.

A well reviewed, small take-and-go counter Middle Eastern food joint, Aviva has excellent looking Falafel. The Lamb Kabobs also come highly recommended. This place is not open for dinner, but would make for an excellent quick lunch joint if you're looking for something healthy and casual. No matter your dietary restriction - vegetarian, vegan or omnivore - you'll have tons of options here. Very close to the Tabernacle.

DINNER

Argosy is a somewhat standard dinner and pizza bar in East Atlanta, not too far from downtown. This spot gets decent reviews and has pizza and plates that cater to all diets. The tap list is supposedly quite excellent and the pizza and fries come highly reviewed. Even vegans can get in on the action as the place has a vegan pizza and a vegan Poutine option.

R Thomas is one of the most infamous late night food options in Atlanta. Serving "healthy" food 24 hours a day, this place has tons of free range meat options alongside huge vegetarian and vegan menus. It's in a large, carnival tent type building with an old school diner neon on the front. Their french toast and breakfast quesadilla are quite popular, and so is their vegan burger. Did we mention it never closes!

VEGAN

Serving Vegan Baked Goods in Atlanta for over a decade, Dulce Vegan is an excellent spot for breakfast foods or a light lunch. There are plenty of vegan pastries and sweets, some excellent coffee and an ever rotating list of sandwiches and soups.

Viva La Vegan is a vegan junk food restaurant which is known for its Shrimp Po Boy. There is often a line but most consider it worth the wait. Some reviewers have noted that facade of the building is somewhat run down (it’s in a worn looking strip mall in a industrial area), but everyone said that the food was damn good.

A large vegan Asian menu in an upscale space. Looks absolutely delicious.

Vegans - we have listed in this section only vegan/vegetarian restaurants, but many of the other food establishments above in other sections have plenty of vegan options. We tried to note them where we could!

Public Transit

Atlanta's public transit is transforming. Once one of the more pitiful systems in the country, it has expanded and upgraded in many ways and is satisfactory enough to get you to-and-around downtown Atlanta, and its immediately adjacent areas.

The train, called the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority), goes to/from the airport directly downtown on the Gold and Red Lines. The Gold Line runs until 1:30 am. though service is sparse after midnight. As with most systems, you'll need to pick up a refillable fare card, called a Breeze™ card.

MARTA also operates a light rail system called the Atlanta Streetcar. Unfortunately, you are unable to transfer between the MARTA train/bus lines. Thankfully, service only costs $1. This Light Rail takes you through the densest parts of the downtown area. The closest stops to The Tabernacle are the Centennial Olympic Park Station or Luckie at Cone Station.

If renting a car is unreasonable, the MARTA, coupled with a few Lyft rides, could be enough for many travelers.